It Is Love
It is Love
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
Copyright © 2009 by Cartland Promotions First published on the internet in November 2009
by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-908411-16-7 Epub
978-1-908411-17-4 Mobi
978-1-908411-18-1 Pdf
The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.
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IT IS LOVE
Quickly they left the drawing room and slipped into the dimly lit library.
Then she was in his arms, kissing him as fervently as he was kissing her.
“Everything’s going to be all right,” she murmured. “As long as we still love each other, nothing can go wrong. Let’s get married very soon.”
“My darling Verna, you are so brave. If only I had your courage.”
“It comes from you. Oh, kiss me, kiss me!”
He did so, pulling her hard against him and putting his whole heart and soul into the kiss.
For a few blinding moments they were transported through the stars to Heaven.
But then, as he had always known would happen, Heaven was snatched away by an ominous sound.
The click of the library door closing.
Looking up, Michael saw with a sinking heart that Lord Challoner had come into the room and was standing there watching them with cold hard eyes.
“You must forgive me for intruding,” he remarked tartly, “but I do have the strongest objection to having my daughter seduced under my roof.”
“Papa!” Verna burst out indignantly.
“Be silent!” her father snapped at her. “You should be ashamed to behave like this, throwing yourself at him.”
THE BARBARA CARTLAND PINK COLLECTION
Barbara Cartland was the most prolific bestselling author in the history of the world. She was frequently in the Guinness Book of Records for writing more books in a year than any other living author. In fact her most amazing literary feat was when her publishers asked for more Barbara Cartland romances, she doubled her output from 10 books a year to over 20 books a year, when she was 77.
She went on writing continuously at this rate for 20 years and wrote her last book at the age of 97, thus completing 400 books between the ages of 77 and 97.
Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible way to reach so many Barbara Cartland readers around the world.
The 160 books will be published monthly and will be numbered in sequence.
The series is called the Pink Collection as a tribute to Barbara Cartland whose favourite colour was pink and it became very much her trademark over the years.
The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection is published only on the internet. Log on to www.barbaracartland.com to find out how you can purchase the books monthly as they are published, and take out a subscription that will ensure that all subsequent editions are delivered to you by mail order to your home.
If you do not have access to a computer you can write for information about the Pink Collection to the following address :
Barbara Cartland.com Ltd.
240 High Road,
Harrow Weald,
Harrow
HA3 7BB
United Kingdom.
Telephone & fax: +44 (0)20 8863 2520
Titles in this series
These titles are currently available for download. For more information please see the Where to buy page at the end of this book.
1. The Cross Of Love
2. Love In The Highlands
3. Love Finds The Way
4. The Castle Of Love
5. Love Is Triumphant
6. Stars In The Sky
7. The Ship Of Love
8. A Dangerous Disguise
9. Love Became Theirs
10. Love Drives In
11. Sailing To Love
12. The Star Of Love
13. Music Is The Soul Of Love
14. Love In The East
15. Theirs To Eternity
16. A Paradise On Earth
17. Love Wins In Berlin
18. In Search Of Love
19. Love Rescues Rosanna
20. A Heart In Heaven
21. The House Of Happiness
22. Royalty Defeated By Love
23. The White Witch
24. They Sought Love
25. Love Is The Reason For Living
26. They Found Their Way To Heaven
27. Learning To Love
28. Journey To Happiness
29. A Kiss In The Desert
30. The Heart Of Love
31. The Richness Of Love
32. For Ever And Ever
33. An Unexpected Love
34. Saved By An Angel
35. Touching The Stars
36. Seeking Love
37. Journey To Love
38. The Importance Of Love
39. Love By The Lake
40. A Dream Come True
41. The King Without A Heart
42. The Waters Of Love
43. Danger To The Duke
44. A Perfect Way To Heaven
45. Follow Your Heart
46. In Hiding
47. Rivals For Love
48. A Kiss From The Heart
49. Lovers In London
50. This Way To Heaven
51. A Princess Prays
52. Mine For Ever
53. The Earl’s Revenge
54. Love At The Tower
55. Ruled By Love
56. Love Came From Heaven
57. Love And Apollo
58. The Keys Of Love
59. A Castle Of Dreams
60. A Battle Of Brains
61. A Change Of Hearts
62. It Is Love
THE LATE DAME BARBARA CARTLAND
Barbara Cartland, who sadly died in May 2000 at the grand age of ninety eight, remains one of the world’s most famous romantic novelists. With worldwide sales of over one billion, her outstanding 723 books have been translated into thirty six different languages, to be enjoyed by readers of romance globally.
Writing her first book ‘Jigsaw’ at the age of 21, Barbara became an immediate bestseller. Building upon this initial success, she wrote continuously throughout her life, producing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years. In addition to Barbara Cartland’s legion of fans in the UK and across Europe, her books have always been immensely popular in the USA. In 1976 she achieved the unprecedented feat of having books at numbers 1 & 2 in the prestigious B. Dalton Bookseller bestsellers list.
Although she is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Romance’, Barbara Cartland also wrote several historical biographies, six autobiographies and numerous theatrical plays as well as books on life, love, health and cookery. Becoming one of Britain's most popular media personalities and dressed in her trademark pink, Barbara spoke on radio and television about social a
nd political issues, as well as making many public appearances.
In 1991 she became a Dame of the Order of the British Empire for her contribution to literature and her work for humanitarian and charitable causes.
Known for her glamour, style, and vitality Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime. Best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels and loved by millions of readers worldwide, her books remain treasured for their heroic heroes, plucky heroines and traditional values. But above all, it was Barbara Cartland’s overriding belief in the positive power of love to help, heal and improve the quality of life for everyone that made her truly unique.
“The moment your heart tells you that you are in love is the most divine and magical moment for anyone and you will remember the wonder of it for the rest of your life.”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE
1899
A few miles from Paris the road curved and soon they were bowling along on the last stretch through the country under the trees.
“We should be reaching the house very soon,” Lady Verna remarked, looking about eagerly.
“Don’t you worry, mademoiselle,” replied Gaston, her driver. “I know where we are going.”
The car was a magnificent machine, the very latest model from the Daimler factory. Gaston loved driving it, but he was very conscious that it did not belong to him.
He was simply the hired driver for the spirited and decisive young English lady who sat in the passenger seat beside him.
She had a definite air about her that he knew from experience came only from belonging to the aristocracy. She was charming, but it was clear that she was used to having her own way.
She was also very pretty, dressed in the most fashionable travelling wear for ladies.
Her jacket and skirt were deep blue, nipped in to a tiny waist. Underneath the jacket was a pale blue blouse, heavily decorated with embroidery and lace.
On her head she wore a large hat, anchored down with a luxuriant veil that tied under her chin.
Gaston had accepted the job of driving her and her stern-faced chaperone from Calais to this house, because it afforded him a free journey to visit his fiancée.
“Are you all right back there, Winifred dear?” Lady Verna called over her shoulder.
“I’m managing,” came the unpromising reply.
Verna glanced back to smile at the woman who had been her nurse and companion for years.
Although quite elderly, Winifred let nothing come between her and what she saw as her duty – accompanying her headstrong young Mistress here, there and everywhere.
Whenever possible she tried to stand between Lady Verna and disaster – not an easy task as the young lady had a passion for adventure and no sense of fear.
For instance, she thought it perfectly natural to travel to France to visit her brother, Andrew, and to do so in her father’s brand new Daimler.
They had travelled to Dover, crossed the channel by ferry and at Calais she had calmly hired a driver.
‘Thank goodness,’ Winifred sighed to herself, ‘we shall soon reach the house and then her brother will be responsible for her.’
Soon they were turning into the gates of the little estate that Andrew had lived in since inheriting it from a French aunt three years ago.
And there he was on the steps to welcome them.
Except that his first words to Verna were not at all welcoming.
“What the devil are you doing here?” he hissed, surprise battling with irritation.
“Charming, brother dear,” exclaimed Verna. “I am as delighted to see you – as you are to see me!”
His petulant face settled into a scowl.
“All right,” he sulked, “I didn’t mean it to sound quite like that.”
“What did you mean?” Verna asked, accepting his help to descend. “You knew I was coming to visit you.”
“You said you would be driving the car down here at some time, so that I could have a look at it. You were vague about when, and now is a bad time. I have to rush off.”
“Have to – or want to?” she asked.
She knew her brother only too well and he never did anything that did not suit him.
“I’ve had an invitation to make a long visit with the Solozzi family, I have no idea for how long,” he said awkwardly, “and I’m about to go.”
“But they live in Rome,” she protested.
“Yes, and that’s where I am going – to Rome. Look Verna, this is very important to me. They have a daughter. She is very pretty and very – well – ”
“Very rich?”
“Money is useful and this house is very expensive.”
“But you cannot leave when I have just arrived!”
“I have to. They are expecting me,” he said, his tone indicating that there should be no argument.
“And just what am I supposed to do?” she cried in outrage.
“I suppose you could come with me,” he suggested reluctantly.
“What an irresistible invitation!”
“Well, I don’t really think that you would enjoy it, so perhaps you had better go home. Is this your driver?”
He indicated Gaston.
“Yes, he brought me from Calais, but – ”
“Naturally I’ll pay him to take you back.”
“No, monsieur, I cannot do this” piped up Gaston, shaking his head firmly. “I very much regret, but no.”
“What on earth do you mean?” Andrew demanded, incensed at this defiance.
“Gaston’s family live in this area and he only drove me here because he wants to spend some time with them,” explained Verna.
“Oh, what nonsense! It’s just a question of paying enough. I don’t mind that.”
But Gaston firmly stood his ground, something that Andrew did not understand.
“Just tell me how much,” he snapped.
“He has already told you he is not driving back to Calais,” Verna persisted, becoming indignant on Gaston’s behalf. “I can drive myself.”
“No, you cannot,” Gaston said unexpectedly. “You are forgetting, in my country you need a licence to drive a car. I have one, but you do not, which is why you needed me at Calais.”
“Yes – ” agreed Verna reluctantly remembering that since 1893 passing a driving test was also a French legal requirement. “In England we don’t need them. But perhaps – just for one journey – ”
“No,” exclaimed Gaston.
“Then you will have to drive her back to Calais.”
“No, he won’t, Andrew. That’s not fair. Gaston, will you take me as far as Paris? It’s only a short distance and there I can find another driver, and you can return to your family and your fiancée.”
Gaston agreed to this suggestion after a long pause.
Andrew was so relieved to have the matter settled without any trouble to himself that he ceased his objections and even invited his sister to come into the house.
“But don’t stay too long. It will be dark soon.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t have to invite us to stay the night,” replied Verna, feeling thoroughly sick of him. “We will have tea and then we’ll depart.”
*
On the way Gaston helpfully suggested taking them to the best hotel in Paris where they would undoubtedly find drivers for hire.
He was as good as his word, seeing Verna safely into the Hotel Belle Epoque, and waiting long enough to make sure she was able to book rooms for herself and Winifred. She paid his fee with something extra to cover his journey home and assured him that she would manage very well from now on.
“After all, I have Winifred to protect me!”
Having fully experienced Winifred’s sharp tongue, Gaston shuddered and departed.
“What a really lovely place,” smiled Verna, looking around at her lavishly furnished room. “I think I will wear my best gown for dinner tonight.”
“But you have nobody to dine with,” said Winifr
ed.
“I will sit at my table in the dining room and all the gentlemen will look at me – ”
“You will not, my Lady,’ started Winifred, outraged at the suggestion. “You will have supper sent up here like a respectable woman. The idea of you being ogled by strange men and talking about it like that – well!”
In the end the elderly nurse had her own way and they dined in Verna’s room.
“I suppose I should be glad of it,” Verna admitted. “It’s been a long journey, starting out at five o’clock in the morning, catching the ferry, finding somewhere to stay for the night in Calais and then spending two days on the road going to Andrew’s place. We’ve hardly had a proper meal since we started.”
She yawned.
“I suppose I should have told them at reception that I want a driver to Calais, but I cannot be bothered now. I’ll do it in the morning. I am sleepy and an early night will do us both good.”
“Hmm!” Winifred muttered rather cynically. She was never more suspicious than when Verna was docile.
“What do you mean by ‘hmm’ in that doom-laden voice?”
“I mean ‘hmm’. When you talk just like a sensible woman, it always means that you’re planning mischief!”
Verna chuckled in a way that filled her companion with foreboding.
“But life is much more fun if you have a sense of adventure,” she insisted.
“You have too much sense of adventure,” Winifred declared firmly. “You are now twenty-five and it’s high time you were married.”
Verna made a face.
“Everyone says that. According to them I should make a suitable match with a suitable Lord and have a pack of suitable children!”
“Exactly.”
“But none of the Lords I have met strike me as at all suitable,” protested Verna. “Some of them are too old, some are too young and they are all dead bores.”
“They are gentlemen of your own class, which is important.”
“And because they are from my class I have known them all my life. They never do anything unexpected and if I do something unexpected, it scares them rigid!
“If only I could meet someone who was completely different. But I won’t, and you know why? Because there isn’t anyone completely different, it’s a myth – like the unicorn.”